Villanova officials now say 29 sent to hospital after chemical incident

By Vince Sullivan and Richard Ilgenfritz

Thursday, February 14, 2013

An experiment in a freshman chemistry class resulted in a dangerous reaction Tuesday afternoon, creating harmful fumes that led to the evacuation of a Villanova University campus building and sent more than two dozen people to area hospitals.

"At approximately 2:15 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, a student in a General Chemistry lab became ill while conducting an experiment. Both Public Safety and Radnor EMS were immediately called to the scene. The student left the lab and the faculty member overseeing the lab went to assist her. The faculty member then began feeling faint and a second EMS unit was called. Because both individuals had been working in the same area, the on-scene paramedics recommended that the area be evacuated. In an abundance of caution, the decision was made to evacuate the entire building until we could be absolutely sure that the environmental conditions in the building were safe. During the evacuation process, several other students in the lab complained of similar symptoms including light-headedness, dizziness, nausea, and difficulty breathing," Villanova officials reported Thursday in a letter to the faculty, students and staff.

Initial reports suggested that a much smaller number of people were taken to area hospitals.

"We had about six or seven people initially complaining of chest pains, shortness of breath, coughing and burning eyes," said Bryn Mawr Fire Co. chief Dan Kincade at the scene Tuesday.

Firefighters and hazardous materials crews entered the building donning air packs after the evacuation and their equipment didn't register any readings for toxic gasses.

"A number of people were evaluated on site," said university spokesperson Jonathan Gust. He said those evaluated were mostly students. A decontamination tent was erected outside the building to cleanse people as they left the building. Kincade said 23 people were in the classroom at the time of the incident. He added that the building's ventilation system did a great job of clearing out the fumes.

"We are being told that a lab experiment that was being conducted resulted in some kind of hazardous material being released," said Bridget Therriault, spokesperson for Main Line Health. She said five patients were taken to Bryn Mawr Hospital and another four were taken to Paoli Hospital.

"Several people underwent decontamination procedures at the scene before being transported to the hospital for further treatment and evaluation. Hazmat responders determined that there was no evidence of contamination on those individuals and de-escalated the situation as a result. As a precaution, all students in the lab were contacted and asked to return to the area for evaluation. A total of 45 individuals were evaluated by Villanova and Radnor EMS. Twenty-nine of those were transported to local hospitals and were subsequently evaluated and released," University officials said Thursday.

Police closed a section of North Spring Mill Road adjacent to the building until about 6 p.m., when personnel began clearing the scene.

There was no indication of a chemical spill or reaction. The experiment being conducting was a commonly performed organic synthesis using propionic acid and alcohol to create a compound. The Chemistry department is conducting a comprehensive review of their protocols and procedures as the safety of our students is always our highest priority.

The Montgomery County Hazmat team assessed the area and determined that it was safe for people to return to the building. Shortly before 7 p.m., the building re-opened on a limited basis to allow individuals back in the building to retrieve their belongings.

While Mendel Science Center was closed, the rest of campus remained open and classes were held as usual, according to a university spokesperson. Mendel is expected to be reopened for classes and other activities.